Take a look at Marion’s quick and dirty bird’s eye view of what strategies you need to consider going forward.

Business Strategy

• Branding Strategy
  • Market Research
    • Customer Definition & Understanding
    • Customer Benefits
    • Competitor Understanding
  • Market Plan
  • Creating Brand Experience
    • Integrated Marketing Mix
    • Brand Identity
    • Company

• Goals

• Sales Strategy
• Marketing Strategy
  • SEO/ Internet Marketing Strategy
    • Company Website
    • Mobile Website
    • Google
    • Bing/Yahoo
  • Social Media Marketing Strategy
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Blogging
  • Public Relations Strategy

So what’s the forecast for 2011? Being the nostalgic person that I am, I wanted to look back at the predictions made earlier this year and the latter part of 2010 to determine if they held water, while taking a glance at 2010 buzzwords as well. After a little research at the international, highly esteemed research library Wikipedia, this is what I discovered…

2010

…When someone turned off the lights.  In this year, words like caution, recession-proofing, budgeting and downsizing became the operative words for business.  However, 2010 also brought new importance to terms like relevance, reassurance, value-added, social media, and SEO as firms searched for alternative methods to preserve (or improve) customer retention.

2011

This year we’re finding our chi and thinking happy thoughts. Transformation, revitalize, creativity, emergence, reinvention, comeback, and reenergize are the keywords many business owners believed would set the pace, with ongoing emphasis on SEO, social media and now mobile marketing.

Our deduction?

We say these predictions are right-on. While seeking to recover from 2010, many firms are more aggressive about SEO and use social media and mobile marketing as vital resources to retain relevance and visibility. Meanwhile we notice evolving business strategies and management systems to bring new life to company.

Want to contribute your two cents? Join the conversation on Twitter. #buzzwords2011

Find out what we think and give us your business buzzwords.

Let’s review the latest nip/tucks from Google…

Google Places: Now Infused with Hotpot

Introduced in November 2010, Google Hotpot offers recommendation to Google Search results. So when you’re looking for spicy Indian cuisine or the best place to get Precious Moments figurines, Hotpot displays a list of local places along with inline user reviews. Now this service is dropping its name and has been added to Google Places, which only makes sense. That’s probably where it should have started. Now through Google, you can rate businesses, be rated and make and receive recommendations, all while using the same profile. I too have grown tired of creating so many derivatives of my name. I draw the line at mizzIHEARTthaBIEBER97.

What this means for you? Well, Google isn’t saying. But what we do know is that you can never have too many positive reviews. Beef up your reputation with good PR through social media marketing and a likeable branding strategy.

Google Ads Become More Transparent

I’m sure you’ve noticed changes to Google Search with “Google Instant” and “Google Instant Previews,” where Google returns results as you type with a graphic overview of each result. (Just click that little magnified glass.) Google has now applied the same technology to pay per click ads (PPC).  Read Google Instant Previews for Ads.

What this means for you? Now would be a good time to review (and revise if need be) your SEO strategy, at least for your landing page. Not sure how to tell if your site is optimized? Marion’s SEO Checker will help.

Although Google affirmed previews will not be considered in their decision-making algorithm, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Since the search process has been condensed, it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re using the right keywords and messaging to grab the attention of users.

Also, insist that your homepage is preview-friendly. In other words, you want it to be appealing because an unprofessional or dare-I-say flat out ugly landing page will probably repel more users than it attracts. Give your site a facelift with a custom web design.

Google Offers Google Offers

After Google’s unprecedented six billion dollar bid to acquire Groupon was rejected, Google found a new love to partner with…itself. Google introduced, Google Offers, their answer to daily deals, which is slowly hitting the mainstream.

What does this mean for you? Nothing…for now. Google is testing the service in Portland, Oregon with no word when they’re going to branch out to the rest of us.

Dinner +1

Google is rolling out +1, a feature similar to Facebook’s Like button…in fact it’s exactly like Facebook’s Like Button. The +1 button allows users to recommended different venues, recipes or even shoe repair stores for your friends to see as soon as they search for the related keywords. It’s available through Google Search at the moment, but the plan is for publishers to start adding the +1 button to their websites, and there’s no telling where Google is going to go from there.

What does this mean for you? It’s not clear that getting someone to +1 your site counts as a positive review. I would say so. While it’s still in the testing phase, Google has yet to integrate the results from this service into their complex algorithm, however we know Google and we can bet it’s not going to be too long, granted enough people choose to +1, +1.  (Word of advice, get on the +1 bandwagon now. You don’t want to be the last.)

Buzz-ectomy

And finally, in non-Goolge related news, Marion gives our condolences to Yahoo for its shutdown of Yahoo! Buzz. Launched in 2008, the sun set on Yahoo! Buzz, the community-based news site. In its two year life span, the site never really gripped the public and thus it ends. O, Yahoo! Buzz, we hardly knew thee.

The Social Media Test

Pull out your scantrons and No. 2 pencils folks. It’s time for a pop quiz.

Answer true or false, tally up your score and post how you did. Good luck!

1. I have the gift of gab. So in regards to social media, I do most of the gabbing.
2. I have so much going on with my company, so I mainly use social media to talk about our awesomeness.
3. I’ve read a lot of asinine posts and I typically enjoy telling people how asinine their posts are.
4. I don’t (or my company doesn’t) have a Facebook business page.
5. I don’t (or my company doesn’t) participate in LinkedIn discussion groups.
6. I think social media platforms are mainly for pushing product.  
7. Business profiles are supposed to be professional. No fun allowed!
8. I’m a leader not a follower, even if it is on Twitter.
9. So many people “Like” me on Facebook. It’s like high school (in my imagination) all over again – BUT I haven’t liked them back. I’m just not that into them…
10. That’s right, a blog…I completely forgot I have a blog…
11. No my business card does not feature my social media links…but I do have my fax number…
12. I don’t respond to negative posts on my social media profiles. I delete them. I don’t have time for this hater-ation.
13. It’s my account so I should be able to control the discussion.
14. I don’t ask people to check-in to my location, I’m not their mom (and if I was, I’d be too cool for that).
15. I’m not the “Mayor” of any location in my area…and I don’t plan on running…
16. My company logo is the profile pic for all social media accounts. My mug is just not meant to be in a ¾  x ¾ inch square.
17. There’s not a real person posting to my account. One less thing I have to do…
18. I say “Find us on Facebook” instead of providing the link…scavenger hunts are more fun anyway.
19. I don’t need to blog or tweet or anything. I just did all that jive a month ago…
20. It’s all about ROI. What the H-E-double toothpicks is ROE??
21. Social media is about ME!
22. Sharing is caring…Psyche!

  All of your answers should be false. Give yourself a point every time you answered false.

…And in case you’re wondering what your score means…

0-15 “False” Answers: The bad news is you failed, but the good news is your hair looks great. Also, there is ample opportunity to improve your social media marketing strategy.

16 “False” Answers: So you passed with a ‘C’. It won’t go on my refrigerator or anything, but it’s ok.  Work on changing those “Trues” to “Falses” and you’re on the right track.

17 -22 “False” Answers: So you’re the overachiever that messes up the curve for everybody. This is great news and your work has gotten you on Marion’s Dean List. Don’t stop there! Make sure you strengthen all facets of your online presence. Is your website optimized?

Read other “Dont’s” in social media, compliments of Don the Idea Guy.   

Reason 1: Your blog is the “Big Daddy” of all social media.

Not Facebook, not Twitter, but indeed it’s your company blog that is the cornerstone of social media marketing (SMM). When used effectively, it functions as the hub of SMM – a space where you drive all social traffic. Twitter and Facebook have suffered glitches in which users could not access or communicate with their fans/followers as normal. However, your blog is an online space that you have control over. Furthermore, a blog allows you to have more personal, in depth conversations. Even though you can post “notes” on Facebook, people typically expect all other social media platforms to be brief and immediate.

Reason 2: Blog means Better Listings on Google…and other search engines. 

As mentioned in my previous blog, when your blog is on your website, the more articles you publish, the deeper your website becomes. This means, you’re expanding your website, adding a new page with each blog you release, which aids in search engine optimization. Add this to quality content with keywords relevant to your business, and you’ve increased the possibility of improving your ranking. In other words, people are more likely to find your website.     

 Reason 3: It’s easy enough…

Posting a blog allows you to communicate your branded message, interact with customers and/or other businesses and give your business a voice without the formality other marketing tactics require (e.g. a press release, brochures, web design, etc.) It’s a relatively inexpensive, ongoing tool that can be used at your discretion.

 Blogging is absolutely beneficial and one of the easier methods to promote your brand. The hardest part sometimes is simply finding the time.

Up next…How to add more hours to the day… (Spoiler: Sleep less.)